Portraits
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Portraits
The photo on the right is a studio shot taken by Bob with a film camera towards the end of the last century! Note the size of the mobile phone, which of course subsequently became much smaller, until the advent of the iPhone, so that it's now almost as large as its 1990's predecessor!
These days we rarely use film, as the pure convenience of digital imagery outweighs the slightly greater tolerance, of inaccuracies in exposure or focusing, that film gives you.
Film is however better than digital for black and white images
Scroll on down to see some more examples of our portraits.
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Front of House Photos are always great fun and you get some wonderful facial expressions.
The Cheeky Chappie
The Leading Lady
Lust in "Hell the Musical"
The Costume Manager
The Experienced Thespian
Satan from "Hell the Musical"
A perplexed Lust, from "Hell, the Musical"
The Character Actress
The Support Cast and Main Players of the Future
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But You don't have to be a Budding Thespian to be Comfortable in Front of the Camera
We're not all natural extroverts. That doesn't mean that we can't be excellent photographic subjects. Click on the image and see what we mean.
A genuine relaxed smile will always work.
Click on the image - a good smile cheers us up.
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Just as it is the director's job to get the best out of their performers, it is for portrait photographers to get the the best out of their subjects, whether they be camera shy amateurs or professional models. Achieving that requires making those subjects realise that it is them, and not the camera or the photographer, that is going to determine the outcomes. Our subject is the star of the shoot and must be treated accordingly.
Great expression from a bride to be, practising in one of our Confidence Photo Shoots in preparation to face the camera at her forthcoming wedding.
While most of our portrait work is done "in studio", we do like to venture outside - and not only when the sun is shining!
Spring Afternoon 2011
Early Spring Evening by the Thames, using Off Camera Portable Flash, with the help of an assistant (a luxury every photographer should have!)
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Evening late April 2011
If there's one thing we've learnt over the years, it's that getting good portraits cannot be rushed. Even mannequins have their off days. The whole process must be designed to be relaxing and enjoyable for all concerned.
At this point we'll put in a plug for our Confidence Photo Shoots So if you have camera nerves or even hate being photographed, have a look at our confidence photo shoot page. We can give you the confidence to realise that you are not "being photographed" but that you are "photographing" i.e. you are determining what the camera sees. Have you ever heard a film star say "I am being filmed today"? Of course not. They say "I am filming today' because they are going to perform in such a way that the camera records what they want it to see. We want to make you feel like a star, and maybe you'll go on feeling like one.
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